Text tabled : A6-0117/2009

  Glenys Kinnock (PSE), in writing. − I gave assent to the CARIFORUM EPA and the Côte d’Ivoire Interim EPA in response to the guarantees which Commissioner Ashton gave this week.

There has been a change of style and tone since Commissioner Ashton replaced Commissioner Mandelson and now we are receiving clear signals that there is a change of substance too.

In the case of the CARIFORUM EPA, the Commissioner gave clear assurances to rapporteur David Martin on his concerns about access to generic medicines, the review clause, and flexibility on how the MFN clause would operate.

Before giving assent to the Côte d’Ivoire Agreement, we were given clear and unequivocal confirmation that Côte d’Ivoire would be free to take what they wanted from any other EPA. It is significant that, in the case of the SADC EPA, the revision of a number of contentious clauses was agreed. This includes the protection of infant industries, the possibility to introduce new export taxes to assist industrial development, and export quotas.

The decisions I took were not taken lightly, but were taken after careful consideration of the commitment to ensure that EPAs could be a tool for development, and reflect our partnership and mutual respect with the ACP.